


At First Sight

by SSChrys



Category: Arthur (Cartoon)
Genre: Drama & Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:42:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23247211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SSChrys/pseuds/SSChrys
Summary: When Lakewood Elementary's art teacher falls ill, a young long-term substitute takes her place. Mr. Ratburn immediately falls for her, but a fumble early on and some bad news makes him question his crush. Can they ever be together?
Relationships: Mr.Ratburn/OC





	At First Sight

Nigel was pouring his second coffee of the morning when she walked in. Principal Haney led her to the center of the teacher’s lounge, his presence alone silencing the room. When Nigel had finished pouring his cup and had completely turned around, Principal Haney began his introduction:

“Everyone, this is Melanie Fuller. She’ll be joining our team as the new art teacher, well, substitute art teacher while…well you all know,” Principal Haney smiled, gesturing to Melanie, “We want to welcome you to the team, Melanie, and if you need anything, anything at all, let us know right away.”

“Oh, I will,” Melanie replied with a southern accent. Nigel felt himself swoon, a feeling he hadn’t felt in ages, probably since he was back in grade school. Crushes weren’t part of his vocabulary and they never had been, something he was almost proud of. No crush had ever gotten in the way of him moving up in the world, yet here he stood, swooning over a new teacher that was probably half his age.

The day moved on, and Nigel found himself behind Melanie in the lunch line. She turned to him, a happy smile on her lips:

“I’m so nervous about eating the food here. I’ve heard stories, you know? I’ve only worked private schools and summer camps ‘til now. How is it? And please, be honest,” Melanie added, looking at him expectantly as he thought of his answer.

“Food is food,” he said, blushing and turning away as if he heard his name called behind him. Inside he was screaming. How could you say that?! How could you react that way?! She’s going to think you’re stupid! She’s going to say no!

The line moved and Melanie ordered pizza from the line. Nigel got his usual, whatever was on the rotating menu. He was allowed to go ahead of Melanie as she fumbled for change, so he punched in his number and fled to his classroom, locking the door behind him.

His action haunted him for the rest of the day. “Food is food” played over and over and over again in his head, filling his mind so much that he couldn’t sleep. He finally succumbed after midnight, but even in his dream, the action haunted him. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she said so clearly Nigel wondered if she actually had said that but he turned away too quick to hear, too quick to respond.

The next morning, he was a zombie going through the motions. He had two cups of coffee at home and poured a third when he got to Lakewood Elementary, though this time he stayed in the teacher’s lounge long enough to pour before fleeing to his room…

…where he remembered it was art day. There was no avoiding Melanie at all. Not only would he have to lead his class across the school to the art room, he’d have to actually step inside and introduce her to his students. She was new, and while Principal Haney introduced her to the teachers, it was up to the teachers to introduce her to their students.

Nigel half-heartedly wished he’d called in sick as the room filled in. The students noticed him fumbling over his lessons, and he finally pulled up a video just so he could shut his mouth and not mess up something else. The students whispered to one another about his actions, but he ignored them. He couldn’t hear them anyway because of the pounding of his own heart, and the repeating “Food is food” going on in the back of his mind. Would he mess up again? What was her name again??? Had he suddenly forgotten?

A small beep from his watch signaled that it was time for their journey. He supervised a bathroom break before leading them slowly to the art room. Muffy skipped out of place and Nigel snapped at her, causing the girl’s smile to fall.

You’re being too hard on yourself, he realized, and you’re being too hard on everyone else too. Pull it together, Nigel.

They reached the door and found it open. Soft country music poured out and Ladonna let out a happy whoop when she entered and recognized the artist.

“Oh, you’re a Southern girl too, huh?” Melanie grinned, waving to the class, “I’m Miss Fuller. Come on in and make yourself at home,” she said to them before her eyes landed on Nigel, “Hello again.”

“Hello,” he said, somehow keeping his voice even, a small victory, “I’m Mr. Ratburn and this is my third grade class.”

“Well it’s nice to meet everyone,” Melanie said to him before turning around to the students, “Today we’re going to make drawings of whatever you’d like with the materials in front of you. Some of you might pick paper plates or paper bags or the inside of cereal boxes, and I expect your choices to be as original as the drawings you make.

“Mr. Ratburn, would you like to stay and join us?” Melanie called.

Nigel shook his head, “I have grading to do. Enjoy, students, and be on your best behavior,” he said, walking away calmly. I did it, he thought, I actually kept it together and didn’t look like an idiot. I have a chance!

Nigel returned to his room and found Principal Haney lingering in his doorway, “Did you give a good introduction to your class?”

“I did,” Nigel nodded, stepping into the room and taking a seat at his desk, “How long will she be here?”

“Eight weeks at least, maybe more if she needs it. The term will end first, and then we’ll see. Miss Donoghue is fifty and has less experience than Melanie, who’s in her thirties and in good health. The board may ask Miss Donoghue to step down in favor of her. That should be quite the show,” Principal Haney said, shaking his head, “I’m afraid I’d have to side with experience.”

“She’s thirty-something?” Nigel asked with a shocked tone.

Principal Haney nodded, “In fact, I think you’re the same age. Her graduation year is the same, at least. She’s been doing art ever since. She went to art school before getting her education certifications, then a Masters, all while working odd jobs. It doesn’t hurt that her husband became a baseball prodigy. He plays Minor League somewhere, but any day he could get the call.”

“Husband? But she said Miss—“

Principal Haney laughed, “It’s a southern thing, Nigel. Plus it’s just something easy for the kids to remember. They don’t care anyway, but…it’s nice to see you do. It’s been a while, Nigel, but…you’ll find another.”

“Yeah, sure,” he whispered, opening a folder with his most recent pop quizzes to grade.

“Well, you have work to do. I’ll leave you to it,” Principal Haney said, leaving the room that was now filled with more confusion and hurt than before. His mistake the day before felt like nothing now that he knew the truth. He had zero chance with a married Melanie. He had quite a shot with a girl his age, but not if she’d already found love and settled down.

Nigel focused on his grading, his marks a little more harsh than he expected. He thought of redoing the numbers, but a second glance made him hold strong. They needed to learn, he decided, plus he could make it up to them the next day. Maybe they’d actually study the material the night before instead of watching cartoons or running free around the neighborhood.

Nigel sighed as he realized how cynical he was being. Children were allowed to play and be a little irresponsible at times. Even adults could decide not to do something if they wanted to. Such was the choice of life.

And sometimes you fell for married people or crushed on people who were spoken for. The chemistry teacher he found so alluring in high school was probably married and twice his age, but that didn’t stop him from dreaming about her and thinking of ways they could be together. He never acted on the feelings, and they eventually faded. Whatever he felt for Melanie would fade eventually too, even if she did start to work full-time at the school the following year. He’d only see her, at most, three times a week in close range. He could bring his own lunch to avoid the cafeteria, even if that did mean losing precious coffee time in the morning. He could figure it out.

Voices signaled the return of his class. He stood and saw them all inside, which left him momentarily alone with Melanie in the hallway.

“You have a very talented class, Mr. Ratburn. They really like you,” Melanie smiled.

“Thank you. I hope they like you as well,” he replied, hoping that wasn’t too bad of a response.

Melanie shrugged, “That’s not up to me. Look, I normally don’t do this, but…do you mind showing me a restaurant tonight at five? I’m new here and could use a local’s help getting to know the place.”

“But your husband—“

Melanie laughed, “Principal Haney told you about my baseball prodigy husband, huh? I’ve been hearing about it all day, and he’s only a little wrong. That’s my brother. We share a last name because I’ve never been married. I didn’t have time with all that college stuff to do. I’ve been going too long, but it’s time to settle down. I’m a substitute now, and while I feel for the old art teacher, I’m hoping this becomes my permanent job. It’d be nice to live in the same place for more than six months too, and…I’d be honored if you showed me the town tonight. You can swing by my room when you leave if you’d like, or we can meet around the corner so the wrong people don’t see. It’s up to you.”

“I’ll come by your room. Excuse me,” he said, turning to his rowdy class and silencing them with a stern close of the door. He studied the graded pop quizzes and decided now was the time to hand them out, a way to quiet the class, or mostly quiet them since most students did poorly and groaned loudly in response.

Nigel ignored it and moved on to the next lesson. It was a new chance, a new opportunity. He took his spot at the front of the room and began the next part, a social studies lecture on one of the presidents. He didn’t notice Melanie watching him outside, her cheeks rosy from blushing, her heart still pounding from her bold move. He wouldn’t know until later that at first sight, she fell for him too, that she didn’t mind his “Food is food” line because she thought her opener was just as corny. She actually laughed, but he didn’t hear her because of his embarrassment.

He had no way of knowing that in three years, when they’d been working together after the counsel’s somewhat controversial move (experience won), that he’d change school systems just so they could marry and fit new regulations. He’d commute further just to come home to her smiling face, and he’d love every minute because he’d won her. His one crush had actually worked out.

But he didn’t know that yet. His heart pounded in his ears as he thought about where he could take her. Was the Sugar Bowl too cheap? Was the Bistro too fancy? Would the barbecue place offend her as much as Ladonna seemed to hate it? He had a hard decision to make, not realizing the location didn’t matter in the least.  
~End

**Author's Note:**

> Theme 1: New Teacher, 177: crushed  
> Summer of Love series—Crushed Hearts series
> 
> A/N: The themes listed above are from my Infinite Theme List, which is new and improved to have 500 themes. I only used 2 here, the most fitting ones, but there are plenty more out there. Let me know if you want more info.
> 
> As for the series list, you guys might not recognize the first one. “Crushed Hearts” is an existing series featuring crushes of all kinds, in this case an adult crush that actually worked out, but they don’t always work out and the ages aren’t always the same either. As for the “Summer of Love” series, this is a new thing I decided to do for 2018. From June 1st until September 30th, I want people to write as many romance pieces as possible. They can be set at any time of the year, though summer pieces are preferred, but they mostly have to feature romance (even if the romance doesn’t work out, like what almost happened here). The pieces can be any length and any rating, as long as it’s age-appropriate for the characters. You can write for any fandom or do an original piece—the only rule is Romance.
> 
> If you’d like to participate, please let me know.


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